2018 Lenten Fasting

fasting
lent

(I am a Dog (Dog's eat until they burst!)) #21

Actually there are 2 things: micronutrients (salt, magnesium, and potassium) and shear will power.

Micronutrients are important as you deplete them quickly during the first week or two of the fast. Please check out this video for a great layman’s explanation:

The will power is necessary for all of the times your mind will try to convince you that it is okay to eat even when you are not hungry!


(Joe Schuyler) #22

Salt goes in my water every time I fill it up. I’m taking in about 2 teaspoons or Himalayan Pink Salt and Morton’s Lite Salt over the course of the day (in 1/4 teaspoon increments).

I’ll check the video out later, though, thank you!


#23

A great idea. I was inspired by your story on the 2KetoDudes podcast. I’m in.


#24

I really like this idea. I will talk it over with my husband, it might be something we can do together as well.


(I am a Dog (Dog's eat until they burst!)) #25

Less than three weeks to go!

Anyone want to do a practice run next week?

Remember, the second day is the hardest and the third day becomes the easiest so keep that in mind as we get ready to start.


#26

I am tempted - going to look at my calendar!


(migorstmarseille) #27

Funny, I was just thinking this morning that I might start next week, just because I feel ready for it. Count me in for (evening of) 1/30 - 2/2.


#28

With IF I have good luck doing it on workdays, not so much on weekends. I am game for an EF of 3-5 days, with a little fat supplementation. So, to kick off, I am in for Feb. 14 - 16, starting with Ash Wednesday.


#29

Living in New Orleans, I have always embraced Ash Wednesday as I am exhausted! I have been looking for a way to get into fasting - having only tried it once or twice since starting Keto in June 2017. I think this is an excellent idea and I am in! I’m doing a two-weekend icon painting retreat during Lent, and I think this may improve my appreciation of this sacred art form as well. And thanks for opening the circle for those of us not ready for 46 days!


#30

Ok, I am in, @ron-coleman - let me know which days and I’ll join you!


(I am a Dog (Dog's eat until they burst!)) #31

For those of you interested in the practice fast; I will fast January 31 - February 2, 2018 on a water-only (black coffee or tea allowed) fast. More precisely: I will eat Tuesday evening January 30, 2018 and then again on Saturday, February 3, 2018 at either noontime or supper as I tend to only eat 2 meals a day. This is the same pattern I plan to use for each fast on each week during Lent.

I will supplement with salt and magnesium as I know I need these micronutrients even on short fasts. I typically use 1/4 tsp of Redmond’s Real Salt with each 16oz glass of water. I use Mega Mag magnesium in a liquid form and I add 1ml to a drink or 2 each day along with some drops on my skin for easy absorption.

Each of us is different and a water-only fast may not be for you but that is fine, let’s all enjoy the fast!


#32

I’m in. Great idea.


#33

OK, I’m in!


(I am a Dog (Dog's eat until they burst!)) #34

About 26 hours until my practice fast, of 88-96 hours, begins and I am revved up for it! Debating whether or not I will do water and black coffee or if I should add some heavy cream - as I sit here with a fresh cup with HWC! Hmm, it is only for a few days, will I live through it :rofl:?

For others who are joining me, I wanted to mention that the more carbs you typically eat each day, the more cravings you may have the first couple of fasting days. Frequent fasters usually build up their ‘fasting muscle’ and find the cravings become less and less for subsequent fasts.

Already have the last meal, Tuesday evening, planned to be a 15oz grass-fed ribeye steak with added butter. I will sous vide the steak to 129 degrees for a nice medium rare throughout and then sear the outside either on a hot grill or my cast iron skillet. My wife sometimes complains about the smoke from the skillet method as the thing if VERY hot so that will go into my decision as well.

Using up all of the food in the refrigerator so there is nothing to spoil and will pull things out of the freezer starting on Friday for my eating days.

Remember, there are 7 3-day fasts in lent and we will be doing these each week so 3 days of fasting and 4 days of eating! The Wednesday-Friday design does capture all of the fasting and abstinence days of Lent so we should be good to go.

Are you prepared?


#35

Yes, I think I am ready! Been slightly ‘overeating’ today in anticipation of the fast. Not a bad thing but it’s amazing how even thinking about fasting gets the psychology going!

Oh, and I will have left over brisket with cabbage tomorrow for dinner.

I haven’t done coffee without cream but I may be able to have less cream this time around.


(migorstmarseille) #36

I’m ready. I’ve been feasting and will have about 1.5 lbs of 80/20 cooked in a cast iron, along with some eye of round steak I’m making for my wife and son. I’ve been following zero carb this month, and so far it has given me enough satiety to not eat after dinner. OMAD is very easy, and I’m feeling pretty good about this week and lent overall.


(I am a Dog (Dog's eat until they burst!)) #37

Practice fast is here! My last food was about 10 PM last night and was 2 hard boiled eggs that helped me clean out the refrigerator of leftovers that my wife would probably not eat. I did leave her 2 rashers of bacon though (we’ll have to see if she eats them or not!)

I made a big pot of chicken broth yesterday using a couple of half eaten rotisserie chickens and 1.5 lb of chicken feet with enough water to cover the meat. I simmered it for 9 hours and tasted it to see if I wanted to add some veggies for flavor but I thought it was great just the way it was! The result was 11 pints and one quart jar.

I may can a few of the pints for longer storage but we may make some soup and use about half of it for that. I will probably drink a pint or two during the fast so will have about 5-7 jars to can for longer storage. I use an electric pressure for canning and it will only hold the pint jars but does a really good job!

Time for some black coffee!


#38

Had some supper on the go last night and woke up this morning with headache and feeling hungry! Weird. I never feel hungry. Took advil and black coffee. Had a minor workout and now at work with 4 TBSP of San J Tamari Soy sauce mixed in hot water (not a fan of salt in its naked stage). Also black tea and some more coffee later.

Headache is gone, finding myself thinking about bread and other things that will come my way again. Feeling good, and mood even elevated! Feeling good!


#39

I am about 40 some hours in. Woke up with a headache this morning. Normally I would say salt deficit but wasn’t sure. Could be stress/work related. Still upped my salt via soy sauce. Had a bit of the runs because of soy sauce so sipping it over the rest of the day.

Otherwise, I feel fine. Just head hungry for food but don’t feel hungry, maybe a pang here and there. Drinking black coffee, had a few chia seeds, and tea, and water.

Don’t think fasting is transformative for me yet psychologically. I struggle with it but I am trying to learn from my own reactions. Why did I start to hyperfocus on food yesterday during a fast? Can I do it differently? I have enough interesting work to do! Yesterday afternoon, for a bit of time, I tunnel visioned on getting a deep fryer for the future!! During my 7 day fast last year I also started to hyper focus on recipes and cooking tools like sous vide!

Energy level seems fine, while I am still recovering from a wicked cold from last week. No clarity nor focus, more like a muddle trying to soldier through. Perhaps it feels less muddy than my fast I did last year. So things are looking up!

I like the idea of more fasts but shorter in duration, as @ron-coleman is planning. It feels less like an ‘all or nothing’ experience. I know I will go back to ‘normal’ in a few days. While doing a shorter fast I will still have a variety of benefits, both health and weight wise. While I did weigh myself yesterday morning I have become less weight focussed over time and more trusting of the process and knowing that time is on my side. Since I started last March '17 I have approximately lost on average a pound a week, with lots of ups and downs. That works for me.


#40

If it’s not too late, I think I’m going to join in with y’all for at least part of this.